A Bad Night
by theadoptedbrewster
Summary: Knowing that she needed to talk to someone she calls the one person she knows will understand.


She shot up out of bed, screaming in absolute terror as tears rolled down her cheeks like rain. It was the nightmare again. She'd thought it had finally stopped but that was just a sweet taste heaven in her living hell. She just wanted it to all stop, she wanted it all to finally be over. A small black cat was now snuggling against the crying brunette's side and she stroked him gently. At least she had someone. Sergio crawled up into her lap and she continued to pet him, knowing the chances of her sleeping again that night were low. She wanted to talk to someone, anyone, but all she had was a black cat and her own reflection to keep her company in the quiet apartment. A few more stray tears tumbled down and she remembered that there was someone she could call. She looked at the time. It was 2am, did she dare call him at such an obscene hour? She wouldn't want to wake Jack so she quickly decided against it. Still her eyes lingered longingly on the phone as if the inanimate object was begging her to pick it up. She wanted to talk to him, yes, but would he want to talk to her? She knew that question was not needed but she just felt like it was crossing some sort of line if she called him.

"I'm having a bad day." That was the first time she'd opened herself up to someone in a long time. She had told Hotch to meet her and he didn't press her to talk, he just sat quietly as she cried and held her hand across the table. A simple gesture that meant more to her than he'd ever know. She knew that he'd asked her to come to him if she need to talk and she understood why, because he could understand, relate to what she was going through. Not everything of course, but he was maybe the only person she trusted that could imagine her agony, her pain.

She didn't even realize she'd reached for the phone when she found herself

dialing his number. The phone rang in her ear as she wiped away a few more stray tears.

"Hello?" The voice was sleepy and low but she recognized it as Hotch's.

"Hotch?" She said, her voice nearly breaking. She swallowed, suddenly remembering the time she'd walked into his office after Matthew's death, resisting the urge to cry, her voice nearly breaking, shattering with every word she'd told him.

"Emily?" He asked, sounding a little more awake. She knew he'd noticed her tone of voice when he'd addressed her by her given name, something that only happened when he was worried or the when the situation was too personal for 'Prentiss'.

"I just," She started, biting her lip. She didn't need to finish, he certainly knew there was only one reason why she'd be calling at such an hour.

"It's okay, you can talk to me, Emily." He told her, his voice soothing as she choked out a sob. Her tear ducts went into overdrive as she began to physically shake from her heart racking sobs.

"Hotch, I just don't know how I'm supposed to get through this." She managed to get out.

"Emily, this is going to sound very unprofessional but, would you like me to come over?" Hotch asked, as Jack was sleeping over at a friend's that night.

"I," She got out and without a thought nodded. She then realized he couldn't see her and verbally answered with a quiet "yes."

When there was knock on the door, Emily almost didn't answer it as she checked the peephole, making sure it was her superior as she quickly let him in. Her eyes hurt from her crying and she had no doubt that her eyes were red and her face was puffy. Her hair was thrown up and was messy and she wore an over sized band t shirt and jogging pants. He walked in and followed her to the couch, where she sat. He sat on the opposite side, glancing at her, not wanting to push her to talk to him. He just waited for her to talk to him on her own terms.

It was just like on the jet as he watched as a few tears streaked down her porcelain cheeks. He reached out an gently rubbed her arm. She glanced over at him.

"Thank you." She told him, her voice clear and coherent as she met his eyes.

"Anytime, Emily. Anytime." He told her and without thinking, she let her walls come crashing down to earth. Forgetting that they had a superior and subordinate relationship she leaned into him and tears escaped her eyes as she just enjoyed the presence of another human being close to her.


End file.
